Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool
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2025: May 16–26 CONFIRMED DEPARTURE
Availability: waitlist only Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates Woad was the indigo of Renaissance Italy (and long before). It’s fun to imagine Duke Federico relaxing in his woad-dyed jeans, but a more likely portrait is the Montefeltro’s, ruling family of Urbino in Le Marche, posing stiffly in blue silks and linens. At the opposite end of the social spectrum, shepherds of the Casentino were wearing woollen cloaks, fulled and napped to make them warmer. It’s gone upmarket since then. Remember that scrumptious orange coat Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? During this tour on the borders of Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche, you’ll dye with woad, block print with rust, visit the makers of Casentino wool and cook local specialities. Really small group (maximum 10 people). You may also be interested in the original Tastes & Textile tour Hanging by a Thread and Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For Click on topics below for more information To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Itinerary at a glance Arezzo to Frontino Day 1 — Meet at Arezzo train station; lunch; transfer to B&B Locanda Le Querce (Le Marche); aperitivo and welcome dinner Day 2 — Pick dye plants and make dye baths; block printing with rust; visit Frontino; dinner at organic farm Biancospino Day 3 — Lace-making and guided tour of Mercatello sul Metauro; lunch cooked by the Accademia del Padlot; visit Roman remains at Sant'Angelo in Vado; dinner at water mill Day 4 — Dyeing with natural plant dyes; crostolo (griddle bread) lesson from Silvana and dinner in her restaurant Frontino to Caprese Michelangelo Day 5 — Renaissance almond salad at archaeological arboretum; private tour of linen mill Tela Umbra a Mano at Città di Castello (Umbria); transfer to Agriturismo Terra di Michelangelo at Caprese Michelangelo (Tuscany) Day 6 – Visit Anghiari, private tour of famed weaving mill Busatti; paintings of Piero della Francesca and optional visit to herbal museum Aboca at Sansepolcro; learn to bake cantuccini (biscotti) at agriturismo Caprese Michelangelo to Bibbiena Day 7 – Transfer to Poppi and visit the castle; lunch at gourmet Esso station; transfer to Villa Catarsena, Bibbiena (Casentino); dinner prepared by villa owner Giorgio Montini and his wife Day 8 – Creative weaving workshop (suitable for total beginners; option for advanced weavers to do more challenging project) and tour of Museo della Lana (wool museum), Stia; visit Tessilnova Casentino woollen mill and shop (you can buy a coat like Audrey Hepburn's) Day 9 — Learn to make cheese and the tortello di patate (potato-filled ravioli); lunch in cheesemaker's home; free time at Villa Catarsena Day 10 — Tortello alla lastra (fried ravioli) lesson and lunch at cook's restaurant; sightseeing at Camaldoli mediaeval hermitage, monastery and herbal pharmacy Bibbiena to Arezzo Day 11 – Transfer to Arezzo; visit art restoration studio; departure For more details, please click itinerary tab above Highlights of tour Fibre & textile experiences
Gastronomic experiences
Art & architecture
Sightseeing
For more details, please click itinerary tab above To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Arezzo to Frontino Day 1: Friday Arrival by 1 pm at Arezzo station (on the local rail line between Rome and Florence) where we’ll collect you and take you to a family restaurant for some Aretino specialities. Arezzo Province (Aretino is the adjective) lies at the extreme southeastern corner of Tuscany, bordering with Umbria and Le Marche. While Umbria gets its fair share of tourist traffic, few travellers discover the beauty, culture and historical importance of these border lands. From Arezzo we cross the Tiber River and a mountain pass to the peaceful Metauro Valley and proceed up to Frontino where Federica Crocetta welcomes us to her country house Locanda Le Querce (The Oaks), our home for the next three days. Introduction to the tour and natural dyeing with our aperitivo, and a welcome dinner prepared by Federica. Accommodation: Locanda Le Querce | Meals: Lunch, Dinner Day 2: Saturday If we had arrived anytime between 1184 and 1508, we would have seen everywhere the diagonal blue and gold striped coat of arms of the ruling Montefeltro family. The blue dye was extracted from the leaves of the woad plant (Isatis tinctoria) and gold from weld (Reseda luteola). Federica Crocetta is an architect who became fascinated by natural dyeing after completing a diploma in textile arts. She grows her own dye plants. This morning we harvest them and start the dye pots. Then off to the Antica Stamperia Carpegna, where Emanuele Francione will teach you how to dye with rust. He learned from his grandfather from whom he inherited his hand-carved wooden blocks. Lunch at a family restaurant in Carpegna before some down time at Le Querce. Before dinner at the organic farm restaurant Biancospino (Hawthorne), we stop at Frontino (if we're lucky we'll get to see the inventive scarecrows). Accommodation: Locanda Le Querce | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 3: Sunday Today we explore two nearby towns in the Metauro Valley. First we stop at Sant’Angelo in Vado to visit the archaeological site of a noble Roman villa with important mosaics. Then to Mercatello sul Metauro where Beatrice Cantucci guides us around her tiny town packed with Renaissance art and architecture. Meanwhile the men of the Academia del Padlot (Academy of the Wine Ladle) are preparing our lunch. Mercatello is also home to a tombolo group, women who make bobbin lace. They invite you to their workshop and encourage you to have a go with the bobbins. Dinner at Mulino Divino and a tour of the water mill by the enthusiastic Nicolas who is learning the craft of milling. Accommodation: Locanda Le Querce | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4: Monday We have an exciting morning with Federica and the dye pots we prepared on Saturday. Federica is always experimenting, and we'll participate in her latest projects. After a light lunch at Le Querce and some free time, we have an appointment at Silvana's to make a local griddle bread, the crostolo, a close cousin of the better known piadina. She invites us to enjoy the dinner she has prepared for us. Accommodation: Locanda Le Querce | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Frontino to Caprese Michelangelo Day 5: Tuesday All too soon it’s time to cross back over the mountain pass to Città di Castello in Umbria. We stop first at the Archeologia Arborea, as Isabella dalla Ragione calls her excavation into fruit varieties and their uses in the past. Unlike the Roman villa frozen in time, she maintains living examples in her orchards. We lunch in Città di Castello and make a quick visit to the Vitelli Palace, which is now the city museum. But our main objective is the Museo di Tela Umbra a Mano which still produces by hand the traditional fine linens famous throughout Europe since the 11th century. It’s only a short hop over the border into Tuscany, where we stay at a typical farmhouse in the upper Tiber Valley, only a couple of kilometres from the village where Michelangelo was born. The farmer rears Cinta Senese pigs, whose cured and fresh meat will be on the menu tonight. Accommodation: Agriturismo Terre di Michelangelo | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 6: Wednesday This morning we go to the town of Anghiari, spectacularly perched on the edge of a cliff. This is where in 1440 the battle of Anghiari took place which was commemorated in a now lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci. During our private tour of the Busatti family textile mill we’ll be taken into the bowels of the building to see working looms and carders some of which date back to the time of Napoleon. If you’re collecting scraps of beautiful fabric, after the tour you’ll be allowed to rummage through sacks of offcuts. Time for shopping. sightseeing and lunch in Anghiari. Not far from Anghiari is Sansepolcro, birthplace of the early Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca. One of his most famous paintings is a portrait of Duke Federico Montefeltro in profile, showing his jagged nose (but not wearing his woad-dyed jeans). We see some of his masterpieces in the Civic Museum of his home town. You’ll have free time during which you can visit the Aboca Museum of Medicinal Herbs and the cathedral or relax at a cafe. Back at our agriturismo, we learn how to make cantuccini, the iconic biscuits of Tuscany (biscotti in English), with the cook, followed by dinner. Accommodation: Agriturismo Terre di Michelangelo | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Caprese Michelangelo to Bibbiena Day 7: Thursday Our pilgrimage takes us up the Arno Valley to the castle town of Poppi where we visit the castle of the Guidi family which ruled this part of Tuscany (and much beyond) before the Medici kicked them out. Lunch, believe it or not, is at a gourmet Esso station. A short hop away are Villa Catarsena and Casale Chiesina. Since the 18th-century builder of the villa didn't have the foresight to construct enough bedrooms for our group, we'll divide ourselves between it and the charming Casale Chiesina next door. These are our homes for the rest of the tour. Time to settle in before dinner in the villa prepared by its owner Giorgio Montini and his wife. Accommodation: Villa Catarsena & Casale Chiesina | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 8: Friday Today we meet panno casentino, woollen cloth woven in this part of Tuscany, the Casentino, at least since Renaissance times. The warmth of the fulled and napped fabric adapted it equally for nobles in their chilly castles and shepherds on wintery hillsides. Originally handwoven, it survived mechanisation to become fashionable in the 20th century, assisted by the film Breakfast at Tiffany's. We visit a former woollen mill, now a wool museum in Stia for a tour of the museum and a creative textile class with Angela Giordano. After lunch at a traditional restaurant in Stia, we tour a fully functioning mill with the owner with time for shopping at his showroom. Bring your credit cards! Aperitivo at a local bar popular with young and old alike. Dinner at Toscana Twist, Tuscan cooking with a modern twist. Accommodation: Villa Catarsena & Casale Chiesina | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 9: Saturday The Casentino is rich in local produce and dishes. Today we sample two of them at Lorenzo Cipriani’s farm. Lorenzo makes pecorino cheese from the milk of his sheep, which also supply the wool for workshops at the wool museum. Lorenzo's mother makes the best tortello di patate (potato ravioli) in the area. You learn how she makes the pasta, wielding her metre-long rolling pin (she jokes about it keeping peace in the household), and how to make a tasty filling from the humble potato. We lunch in their kitchen, and then return to the villa for a free afternoon. If you like cold-water therapy, there's an unheated swimming pool. Dinner in a family restaurant. Accommodation: Villa Catarsena & Casale Chiesina | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 10: Sunday Have you ever tasted grilled ravioli? Now is your chance. We have a lesson in the village of Corezzo, the only place in the world where we can learn how to make the tordello alla lastra, because they’ve registered the trademark! You can guess what’s for lunch. Next we follow a picturesque road through the mountains to the mediaeval church of Badia Prataglia, where the priest welcomes believers and heretics alike. A little further along the road we come to the Benedictine monastery of Camaldoli founded in the 11th century. We visit the hermitage, monastery and pharmacy, at which the monks still produce and sell their herbal remedies and tonics. Another great shopping opportunity. Unless you love English school dinners, ours won’t be in the monastery’s refectory. We’re dining at the excellent cosy restaurant across the road. Accommodation: Villa Catarsena & Casale Chiesina | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Bibbiena to Arezzo Day 11: Monday On our last day we return to Arezzo and squeeze in one final visit before we bid each other farewell. We have the rare chance to visit an art restoration studio. The restorers explain their work and you watch as they, for example, clean a 14th-century painted wooden panel. We also meet the carpet and tapestry restorers for insight into their work. Utterly fascinating! To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Erica JarmanFollowing Heather’s careers as archaeologist, orchestra and artist manager and chef, she Italianised her name to Erica and came to Lucca to pursue her passion for traditional artisan food. Her tours, inspired by her infectious curiosity, open captivating new worlds to her guests.
Autonoleggio Minelli, driversDamiano & Dario Minelli's grandfather started business in 1926 with a horse and cart. Sadly, he died in 1929 leaving their father and his sister orphans. Somehow the family struggled along with the business really taking off in the post-war era. We will have a 16-seater, smaller and more modern than the one pictured!
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Locanda le Querce, Frontino Architect-owner Federica Crocetti fell in love with this huge old stone farmhouse. She restored it and constructed an extra building in order to have more rooms. Mostly en suite bathrooms, two shared bathrooms, wi-fi, hairdryers, swimming pool. http://locandalequerce.com/ |
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Agriturismo Terra di Michelangelo, Caprese Michelangelo A traditional stone farmhouse with panoramic views over the upper Tiber Valley and large comfortable rooms furnished with family antiques. The restaurant serves pork from the farm and produce sourced locally. En suite bathrooms, wi-fi, hair dryers, swimming pool. www.terradimichelangelo.com/en/ |
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Villa Catarsena, Bibbiena
In the rolling countryside 10 minutes from the town of Bibbiena we stay in two adjacent properties, both originally in Giorgio Montini's family. One is the elegantly furnished 18th-century villa. Mostly en suite bathrooms, two shared bathrooms. Two sitting rooms, one dining room & kitchen. Wi-fi, hairdryers, swimming pool. https://www.agriturismocatarsena.it/index.php/en/ |
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Casale Chiesina, Bibbiena
A 3-minute walk from the villa is this charming stone house which Giorgio Montini sold to Tiziana and her mother, who have lovingly restored it to create four pretty bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, two sitting rooms and a kitchen. We'll all have breakfast together at the villa. Wi-fi, hairdryers. https://www.agriturismocatarsena.it/index.php/en/ |
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Price Per person after 31 May 2024: 3700 Euros Single supplement: none (single room included in fee) Deposit: €300 when you book Balance: due 8 weeks before course starts Claim your 5% loyalty discount if you've booked a small group tour with us before. Includes Friendly knowledgeable English-speaking guide throughout your stay 10 nights welcoming, relaxing accommodation, en suite bathrooms Local ground transportation for 11 days (includes one group transfer between meeting point and accommodation and one return after the tour). Please check with us before you book your travel to make sure it fits the tour schedule. Transfers at times other than those provided for the group will be at your own expense. Daily continental breakfast, 9 lunches with wine, 10 dinners with wine Guided visits and workshops with artisans, entrance fees (except for optional activities) Does not include Airfares Travel and cancellation insurance (compulsory) Wine and drinks other than those served with meals, additional meals Personal expenses Meeting point Arezzo railway station no later than 1 pm (nearest international airports are Rome and Florence). Pick up from Italian airports can be arranged at your expense. If you are flying from outside Europe, we suggest you arrive a couple of days early to recover from jet lag so you can fully enjoy your time with us. We are happy to advise about where to stay and eat and what to do before and after your tour. Departure point Arezzo at about 1.00 pm. If you need to travel earlier, we will arrive in Arezzo at about 10.30 am from where you can catch a train, but you will miss the fascinating visit to the art restoration studio. More detailed information about planning your travel here. Diet Most dietary requirements can be accommodated as long as you tell us in advance. There is a space on the Booking Form for this information. Please bear in mind that the tour focuses on the art of choosing, cooking and eating good food. If your diet is very restricted, you may not get full enjoyment from it. Physical fitness You must be fit enough to climb steps, walk on steep cobbled streets and rough farm tracks. Dress Informal. Jeans or smart trousers are acceptable everywhere. Raincoat/jacket advisable. Good walking shoes are required for farm visits and cobbled streets. Weather in May Weather is no longer average, but here’s what the statistics say: 8˚–22˚C / 47˚–71˚F, rainfall 66 mm / 2.6 in The itinerary is subject to change if necessary due to weather or agricultural conditions or other events outside our control. To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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The Woad & Wool tour exceeded my expectations. It was really a privilege to experience Italy in this way. We stayed in beautiful villas in out of the way locations and barely saw another tourist the entire time. I enjoyed the pace. Although every day was packed with activities, we stayed several nights at each location, so we felt like we had a home base. I enjoyed the many hands-on activities - some were quick lessons and others were more in-depth. The food was simply amazing, with so many new things to try. The scenery was stunning, with wildflowers galore in the fields and lots of mountain roads. I learned a lot, laughed a lot and generally had a great time. The tour was also a great value, as nearly all meals and activities were included. I highly recommend traveling with Sapori e Saperi!
Megan MacBride, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
Having never been on a travel tour before (I always planned the trips for my family), it was unexpectedly relaxing not to have to worry about anything at all for the entire trip. Erica has a bevy of close-knit artisans you would never meet on any tour who are both charming and talented, and she has a deep knowledge of Tuscan history and culture. Kudos to them for keeping up the traditions and family businesses that reflect a high level of artistry and genuine love of their craft. For all of us weavers, it was an intimate way to grow new skills in lacemaking, Bargello needlework, cooking, and other mediums where we could expand the vision of our own future artistry. Tuscany is just one part of Italy, and the food is just spectacular across the region we traveled, but could only wonder at the other cuisines across other regions of Italy. The Esso Station was definitely the highlight for me in terms of the perfect meal complimented by amazing wines and liqueurs. For me, it was like being on another planet from my high stress job and I came home delightedly refreshed.
Ann Alexander, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
Just wanted to send a huge “Thanks” for our wonderfully choreographed Woad and Wool trip. Each day was a delightful mix of hands-on projects, historical sites, gorgeous hill towns, museums and amazing food and wine. All your stories about the region, its people, culture and traditions, added such richness to our travels. The cheese making and block printing experiences were unexpected highlights for me. Grazie.
Nancy Sharples Bornemann, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
I would highly recommend Sapori e Saperi for your next vacation! The hillside villages, accommodations and food were of excellent quality. Our cooking lessons and dyeing experiences were one I will always remember..and refer to since Erica supplied us with the recipes for both! I am confident that I can recreate any of them with no problem. Visiting the workshops , homes and museums were a great way to immerse ourselves into how things are created and are continuing with a family tradition. The passion of these owners for what they produce is amazing. Erica has thought out and created a most memorable trip that she has honed throughout the years of her experiences with each and every venue we visited. Pack your suitcases and get ready for a trip of your lifetime!
Dan Bridge, textile artist, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
Just home after having enjoyed the Woad & Wool May 2024 tour. Erica’s meticulous planning and extensive local knowledge resulted in a trip I couldn’t possibly have done on my own. We were welcomed into artisan studios for hands-on classes in natural dyeing, bobbin lace, Italian flatbreads, rust dyeing, and more. The meals we enjoyed were course after course of excellent food and wine from the region. And the locations! A restored grain mill, an Esso station (!), family homes; every one of them offering delicious food, warm welcomes, and laughter.
At the end of the trip, our group was asking if we’d do another of Erica’s tours—and my answer is “si!”.
Christin Knite, weaver & sheep farmer, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
This tour checked all the boxes—immersive fiber art workshops, visits to mills and studios, cooking lessons, home-cooked meals, farm to table restaurants, historical sites in ancient villages, and lodging at small family-run villas. Erica has curated 10 days of beautiful experiences. I enjoyed meeting and working with artisans all over the region who are keeping local heritage alive and well. Highly recommend the Sapori e Saperi team for an unforgettable experience!
Cecilia, textile designer, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2024
I’ve been home for a couple of weeks now and I am still savoring my love affair with Italy. I had a wonderful time there. Erica's tour was great and I am hard pressed to choose one thing that was the most fun. The food was delicious and presented with such flair. Dyeing with natural plants right from the garden, visiting the linen mill, sharing with weavers at a museum, trying my hand at bobbin lace and then stitching bargello - something I actually knew how to do! - it was all wonderful. However, I have to say that the thing I remember the most was the fantastic meal at an Esso gas station. Go figure.
Darlene Lander, weaver & alpaca farmer, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2022
Just wanted to thank you for such an amazing trip! It was well organized and so nice to just sit back, relax and embrace the moment. You clearly do a lot of research before hand and it shows. The perfect 10-day vacation 😊 keep up the good work, maybe I can get away again with you in the future!
Jordana K, home economics teacher, Canada, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2022
Thanks for a very well planned and executed tour. One of the best (if not the best) trips/tours I've ever been on!
Ying Mark, retired home economics teacher, Canada, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2022
I’ve been on two tours with Erica and highly recommend them for food and fiber enthusiasts. Woad and Wool allowed me to try new fiber crafts and to consider alternate methods in known areas. A wonderful opportunity to make new friends, eat scrumptious food, and experience rural Italy.
Pam Shelley, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2022
The tour was well varied and it was exciting to see all manner of looms and weaving. The experience of dyeing with woad, guado, was great for me in that it encourages me to continue along the line of natural dyeing that I have begun. Ideas for tapestry and bobbin lace are swirling around in my head, so I hope that I can manage my summer to include some new and innovative things.
The experience of being in Italian homes and kitchens and sharing their passion for their land and growing and creating their food was special.
Accommodations were exceptional and unique and of course the people everywhere we went were so friendly and open. I enjoyed your translations all along the way, Erica, you did an outstanding job. Thank you for an amazing memorable experience, opening my eyes to parts of Italy I could never see on my own.
Linda Hobley, artist, dyer, weaver, Canada, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2019
I am a spinner, weaver and dyer and a bit of a foodie, so this trip was either going to be brilliant or a bit of a let down. I am delighted to write that I loved every minute!!
Erica had researched this trip in great detail and the result was ten days of fascinating visits and events with many wonderful, talented and committed people. From Patrizia the cook at a former monastery (who was simply fabulous and let us help her in the kitchen) to Lorenzo the cheese maker and his mother who made us pasta, the food we had was remarkable in that it was produced and prepared by people for whom it was of the utmost importance. It was not enough to just feed us, we had to have the best available – and we did. At one place we stayed, Gabriele and his family raise one of the very few native breeds of pig and we ate like royalty – especially the home cured salumi.
The time spent with the lace ladies enabled me to try bobbin lace making – something I had wanted to do for many years – and the visits to the mills were great because they were not standard but unique – one had started up when Napoleon’s forces were fighting in the valley and cloth was needed for new uniforms!
This really was a holiday to remember. Everyone we met was so enthusiastic about their craft or their food (gourmet lunch at a petrol station??? No problem!), each day was a delight. Who knew that there was a woman who’s passion was apples and whose life revolved around keeping heritage varieties alive – not just in Italy, but in Israel and Ukraine too!
A huge thank you to Erica for this wonderful 10 day journey through textiles and food. I loved it!
Trisha Roberts, spinner, weaver, dyer, UK, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2019
Erica put together a truly interesting, tasty and fun adventure. The experiences included dyeing wool and learning the secret ingredient (urine) of the 'royal' blue, bobbin-lace and belt-back weaving, observing and cooking purple gnocchi, biscotti, potato-stuffed tortello, visiting textile factories, mills, ruins, farms, and eating incredible amounts of delicious food. All that is needed for this trip is a healthy appetite and a curious mind. Glad I had both!
Heidi Weisbaum, curious amateur, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2019
Thank you so much for an unforgettable trip. I’ve been boring my family about it for a week, and harbouring longings to return to the places we lived - and ate - in. And, of course, missing the great company.
Judith Gubbay, weaver, UK, Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool, May 2019
